Agricultural machinery.



J. M. RUTLEDGE. AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY.

7 APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1911. 1,088,038, Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN c0..w.\snmo'roN. n. r

J. M. RUTLEDGE.

AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY.

APPLIGATION PILIED APR. 14, 1911.

' Patented Feb. 24, 1914. 1,088,038.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 5 I E EL 73 5 COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH $0., WASHINGTON. o.c.

nurrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. RUTLEDGE, OF RIALTO, FLORIDA.

AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY.

nosaoae.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES M. RUTLEDGE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Rialto, in the county of Leeand State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Agricultural Machinery, of which the following is a specification. Myinvention relates to improvements in agricultural machinery and has forits leading object the provision of a combined machine which will serveto both plow or turn the soil and to clear the roots therefrom.

A. further object of my invention is the provision of an improved formof soil turning and root cutting implement which may be readily adjustedto operate at different depths.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means fordriving said cutter at varying rates of speed and the provision of animproved cutter having removable blade portions which can be readilyreplaced.

To attain the desired objects my invention comprises an agriculturalmachine substantially as illustrated and as hereinafter described,although it will be understood that I may make any changes inconstruction within the scope of the claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2represents a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 represents a bottom plan viewof the driving and transmission gearing. Fig. 4 represents an enlargeddetailed view of the mechanism for adjusting the cutter. Fig. 5represents a transverse sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6represents a front view of one of the cutters. Fig. 7 represents a viewof the inner side thereof, and Fig. 8 represents a plan view of one ofthe removable cutter blades. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 99 ofFig. 7

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the frame of the tractionengine to which my improved cutters are secured, said frame having thefront wheels 2 and the broad rear driven wheels 3 mounted on the axle41- and having the sprockets 5 engaged by the sprocket chains 6 whichalso pass over the sprockets 7 of the shaft 8 driven by the engine 9.

Journaled in the bearings 10 on the under side of the frame are theshafts 11 each hav- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 14, 1911.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914. Serial No. 621,015.

ing an outer squared end 12, while secured on the inner ends of theshafts 11 are the sprockets 13 in mesh with the upper portion of thechain 6 and driven thereby. Slidably mounted on the squared portion 12of the shaft is the collar 13 having the large pinion 14: and thesmaller pinion 15 on its opposite ends, a shifting lever 16 engaging thecollar to move the same on the shaft.

The bearing 10 is formed with rounded ends 17, and rotatably mounted onsaid ends of the bearings are bell cranks 18, having secured to theirlower ends 19 the stub shaft 20 hearing the spaced large gear 21 andsmaller gear 22 between which the collar 13 and its pinions normallylie. The links 19 have their inner ends secured to the upper ends of thebell cranks 18 and have their outer ends secured to levers 21, thepurpose of which will be obvious from the following description.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the shaft 11 is rotated forwardby the chain 6, while by movement of the shifting lever 16 either thepinion 15 is moved into engagement with the gears 21 to drive the shaft20 at a low rate of speed or the pinion 14 is moved into engagement withthe gear 22 to drive the shaft 20 at a higher rate of speed.

Secured on the outer end of the shaft 20 is the wheel 23 which is oftough steel secured on its periphery at a plurality of points the baseportion 24 of my improved cutters, said cutters having a share 25inclined similar to a plow share but having a wing 26 extending rearwardat an angle to the share. Formed integral with the base 24 and share 25and extending forward at right angles to the shaft is the blade 27acting as a colter to cut the soil and also serving to sever the rootslying above the share. Forming a point for the share and removablysecured thereto by the bolts 28 is the triangular blade 29 whichprovides both a point and a forward or basal cutting edge for the share.

It will be apparent from the above description that the wheel with itscutters rotates in the direction in which the driving wheels move andthat said wheel being powerfully driven and movin at acomparatively highrate of speed will chop or cut through the roots lying under the surfaceof the soil or on the top of the soil and will at the same time turn theearth and bring said roots on the surface. It will be understood thatwhile I have illustrated but siX' cutters applied to the machine I mayincrease or decrease the number of the same on either or both sides ofthe machine as desired, while to clear the ground from the roots andalso to aid in breaking up the clods loosened by the cutters I secure tothe frame plurality of cutters having base portions by which the sameare supported upon the periphery of the wheel, said cutters beingfurther provided with curved shares Which over hang the base portions,blades having curved cutting edges and extending from the base portionsto the points of the shares and at obtuse angles thereto, wings formedin-,

tegral with the shares and projecting outwardly therefrom at pointsopposite the cutting edges, and triangular plates removably secured tothe share points.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES M. RUTLEDGE.

Witnesses G. S. OARN,

ETHEL BORLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

